Embedded Systems Engineer I

Nomad GCS•Columbia Falls, MT

6d•$55,400 - $82,500•Onsite

About The Position

Nomad Global Communication Solutions (Nomad GCS) is seeking an Embedded Systems Engineer (Level I) to join their Innovative Solutions Group. This role focuses on the design, development, integration, testing, and lifecycle support of embedded hardware and firmware for the Nomad Total Command™ (NTC) system and other Nomad products. The engineer will work with microcontrollers, embedded processors, sensors, control modules, and communication interfaces to ensure deterministic control, automation, monitoring, and safe operation. This position requires strong hands-on engineering skills and system-level thinking to diagnose complex interactions and improve embedded system performance in demanding environments. Engineers at Nomad GCS progress through five levels based on technical mastery, independence, leadership, and impact, with advancement supported through mentorship and ownership.

Requirements

Must be a US Citizen for consideration and meet all Federal Contractor employee requirements.
Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems required.
Experience working in Linux environments required.
0–2 years embedded systems or related engineering experience.
Learns quickly, reduces rework, completes tasks correctly on the first pass with attention to detail.
Continuously takes ownership of assigned tasks and takes initiative.
Communicates effectively and professionally with relevant stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Basic networking knowledge required, advanced preferred.
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering or related preferred.
Working knowledge of relational database systems preferred.
Experience with FreeRTOS or other RTOS platforms preferred.
Exposure to closed-loop control in robotics, automotive, aerospace or similar preferred.
Working knowledge of JavaScript, React, and/or similar object-oriented programming preferred.

Responsibilities

Support senior engineers with firmware development tasks and documentation related to NTC embedded modules.
Assist with embedded development using C/C++ and microcontroller platforms used within NTC and other Nomad platforms.
Participate in prototype builds, testing, and debugging activities for embedded hardware.
Learn Nomad embedded standards, communication protocols, and NTC configuration processes.
Gain familiarity with CAN, SPI, I²C, UART, and Ethernet communication used within embedded hardware networks.
Assist with basic or semi-complex engineering projects.
Work under close supervision while building technical competence.
Design, develop, and support embedded hardware and firmware used within Nomad Total Command (NTC) and other Nomad platforms.
Develop firmware and control logic using C/C++ for microcontrollers and embedded processors supporting modules and control interfaces.
Write logic that bridges embedded hardware with NTC software using C/C++ and other languages.
Specify/test new embedded computers, network switches, and other hardware for NTC or other Nomad platforms.
Integrate sensors, actuators, networking interfaces, and operator control systems used by the NTC platform.
Design and troubleshoot embedded systems using CAN, SPI, I²C, UART, Ethernet, and related protocols used within various communication networks.
Ensure systems exhibit deterministic and predictable behavior, particularly in real-time or near real-time environments.
Review, edit, or write JSON based configuration files.
Implement error logging, as well as frequent “health checks” and hardware status updates.
Drive improvements in reliability through testing, diagnostics, and design iteration.
Diagnose complex interactions between hardware, firmware, networking, and electrical systems.
Work within Linux-based environments, including containerized environments (Docker).
Flash embedded firmware for micro-controlled hardware and sensors.
Write control logic & software for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s).
Participate in efforts to automate and continuously improve NTC hardware configuration.
Attend meetings regarding upcoming builds, take meaningful notes, and actively participate: Proposal Reviews; Sales/Project Management Kickoffs; SPN reviews, Initial Design Reviews (IDR), and Executive Design Reviews (EDR); and Actively participate in Executive Reviews and document any findings.
Configure, or aid in configuring NTC hardware for production projects, ensuring configuration is accurate and aligns with customer requirements and intended system operation.
Assist production team(s) with troubleshooting NTC issues.
Design or assist in designing printed circuit boards (PCB’s)
Participate in design reviews, testing, validation, and root cause analysis of embedded hardware and control behavior.
Work closely with Software Engineering to define hardware abstraction layers (HAL’s) and other methods to translate software commands into hardware actions.
Assist software in defining how hardware data/control should be presented in the NTC frontend.
Develop and improve embedded systems with the goal that hardware control logic is independent of NTC software functionality.
Design systems with strong emphasis on fault tolerance, redundancy, and predictable failure behavior.
Assist field and production teams in resolving challenging system-level issues.
Prototype and test next-generation capabilities including, but not limited to: Automation systems, Advanced sensor integration, AI-assisted monitoring, Autonomous subsystems, Vehicle information system integration (CAN), Self-deployment capabilities (SLAM, Sensor-Fusion, Computer Vision etc.), Edge machine learning, Predictive maintenance capabilities, Subsystem data acquisition for local inference.
Identify opportunities to improve operational awareness, system automation, and reliability.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, IT Integration, Human Factors Engineering, Software Engineering, Production, Quality, and Program Management teams to ensure embedded systems integrate cleanly with platform subsystems.
Apply continuous improvement principles to improve reliability, determinism, manufacturability, and maintainability of embedded hardware.
Produce clear technical documentation including: Engineering notes, Troubleshooting guides, Test procedures, Technical design documentation, System changes, firmware updates, and hardware improvements.
Translate operational feedback into engineering improvements.
Uphold and model Nomad Core Values in all work.
Perform additional duties as assigned.